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Running WordPress in Docker keeps the web server, PHP, and database cleanly isolated in separate containers, making updates, backups, and migration significantly simpler than a traditional manual install.

Prerequisites

• Docker Engine and Docker Compose installed
• Root or sudo access

Step 1 — Create a Project Directory

mkdir ~/wordpress && cd ~/wordpress

Step 2 — Create docker-compose.yml

nano docker-compose.yml

services:
  db:
    image: mysql:8.0
    container_name: wordpress-db
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      MYSQL_DATABASE: wordpress
      MYSQL_USER: wpuser
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: CHANGE_ME_STRONG_PASSWORD
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: CHANGE_ME_ROOT_PASSWORD
    volumes:
      - db_data:/var/lib/mysql

  wordpress:
    image: wordpress:latest
    container_name: wordpress
    restart: unless-stopped
    depends_on:
      - db
    ports:
      - "80:80"
    environment:
      WORDPRESS_DB_HOST: db:3306
      WORDPRESS_DB_USER: wpuser
      WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD: CHANGE_ME_STRONG_PASSWORD
      WORDPRESS_DB_NAME: wordpress
    volumes:
      - wp_data:/var/www/html

volumes:
  db_data:
  wp_data:

Replace both password placeholders with strong, unique passwords before starting.

Step 3 — Start the Stack

docker compose up -d

Step 4 — Verify Both Containers Are Running

docker compose ps

Step 5 — Complete the WordPress Setup

Visit http://YOUR_SERVER_IP and complete the on-screen installation: language, site title, admin account, and email.

Updating WordPress

docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

Backing Up Your Site

Back up the database:

docker exec wordpress-db mysqldump -u root -pCHANGE_ME_ROOT_PASSWORD wordpress > wordpress-backup.sql

Back up uploaded files/themes/plugins (stored in the wp_data volume):

docker run --rm -v wordpress_wp_data:/data -v $(pwd):/backup alpine tar czf /backup/wp-content-backup.tar.gz /data

Adding HTTPS

Put Nginx Proxy Manager (or Certbot with a reverse proxy) in front of this stack rather than exposing WordPress directly — see How to Install Nginx Proxy Manager with Docker.

Common Errors

"Error establishing a database connection" — check the database container's logs and confirm the credentials match exactly between both services:

docker compose logs db

Port 80 already in use — stop any other web server on the host, or change the published port to something like 8080:80.

Best Practices

• Never leave the example passwords in production — use strong, unique values
• Take regular database and volume backups (see above)
• Install only trusted WordPress plugins and keep them updated
• Put HTTPS in front of the site via a reverse proxy

FAQ

Can I run multiple WordPress sites on one VPS this way?
Yes — run a separate Compose stack per site (different project directory and container names) and route domains to each using Nginx Proxy Manager.

Related Articles

• How to Install Docker Compose on Ubuntu & Debian
• How to Install Nginx Proxy Manager with Docker
• Run MySQL/PostgreSQL/Redis in Docker Containers